“Ancientbloods?” Liam hesitantly asked. He felt like he was addressing the Prime Minister.

“Yes. We were called something else in a time long past, but that is how we are remembered. Your name?”

“Liam, sir,” he answered, stiffening out of habit.

“Ah, Liam... a good name to be sure. I suppose this is where I tell you my name. You may call me Noctis, as it is my title in the old stories.”

“Sorry, never heard of you,” Liam said.

“Unsurprising, considering it is a mostly forgotten history now,” Noctis replied, sighing.

“Not to be rude or anything, but that Hathor guy said I could get out through here.”

Nodding, Noctis said, “There is a way, but will you hear me out first?”

“Depends.”

“A wise decision. Anyway, you passed Hathor's test. As such, he must have thought you suitable for this task.”

“Task?” Liam interrupted.

Noctis sighed. “I'll overlook your pride for now. Anyway, there are two tasks we wish to ask of you. So, let me ask you this: do you desire strength?”

“Not if it'll get me killed like your people.”

“Hah! Good answer. Then, do you know what Hathor looked for in his test?”

“Nah, just wanted to win.”

“You sound like one of our kin. Anyway, the first requirement was personality. Second, agility. That's it.”

“If that's it, then why didn't anyone else pass? I doubt I'm considered strong in this world.”

“Personality, mostly. However, we deemed agility important as well, considering my clan died out because of our slow traits.”

“What's that got to do with me?”

“This brings me to the first task: reviving our bloodline.”

“Don't tell me to go on some quest. I'm not interested.”

“Hahaha! No, that is not what I meant. My intention is to have you continue our bloodline.”

“What?” Liam exclaimed while sporting a confused expression.

“I will make you one of us.”

Without hesitation, Liam said, “No thanks, I'm good.”

“Oh? You pass up the opportunity to obtain strength?”

“As long as I can survive, I don't need it.”

“Well, let me tell you a little story...”

Oh boy, an old man's story... great... just great... Liam thought.

“My clan once stood above all others. All the kings swore fealty to us. It was a good system. At least, it was good until outside forces manipulated the people, ousting us from power. The people who did it are the same ones who brought you here.”

Liam stiffened. How did this ghost of a man know such a thing?

Continuing, Noctis said, “Basically, my second request is to take revenge on those people.”

Raising his hand, Liam said, “I refuse.”

“Tch. Figures.”

“If you were looking for some hero, then you got the wrong guy.”

Sighing, Noctis replied, “I do not need a hero. Honestly, I would be happy if you just continued our line. Vengeance on those fools isn't necessary, but you'll probably end up at their mercy someday.”

“Not like my quality of life would improve by fighting powerful people.”

“Indeed...”

Silence followed. Only the crackle of torch flames could be heard.

Then, Noctis said, “It'll fix your arm.”

Liam thought for a moment. Honestly, he had no idea when he could get his broken arm fixed. Healing it was a much more understandable exchange since he would probably need it to survive. Starting a clan did not sound particularly difficult either. Although the prospect of possibly dealing with difficult people bothered him, he said, “Deal.”

“Hahahaha! You really are similar to our clan. If my wife heard you, she would say you sound just like our children!”

“Get it over with.”

“Sure, so go make offspring for me. Also, if you could, tell them the story I told you. Feel free to embellish it,” Noctis said with a chuckle as his body practically exploded into a black mist. Although Liam felt creeped out, he stood still as the mist wrapped around him until it felt like standing underwater. Then, a crack echoed around the chamber. Then another. At first, Liam had no idea what was happening, but on the third crack, pain surged through his chest. His limbs followed. Gritting his teeth, he looked at his arms, only to see his skin cracking like a stone in the desert. Before long, the mist began tearing his body apart. And here Noctis said it would only hurt a little.

When the process reached his throat, he lost the ability to voice his pain. Wouldn't his HP run out before the process ended?

The pain stopped.

What just happened? Liam asked himself. He looked down, only to lose his sight a second later. Was it too late to reject the request? Probably.

The blindness only lasted a few seconds, for new eyes formed in the old ones' place. In a panic, he examined his own body, or, at least, what was left of it. He looked like the remains of an experiment. Limbs half-formed, bared down to the bone. Torso bereft of organs. He could only imagine what his face looked like.

Helplessly suspended in the air by the mist, Liam watched new tissue form over his blackened bones. It truly filled him with both terror and fascination.

The pain returned. Still, he could not yet scream.

Organs reformed within his ribcage. Limbs regrew from stubs. His voice returned.

“GAAAAAAAHHH!!!!” Agonized screams echoed around the chamber.

Skin formed over the new tissue, bronze in color.

The mist dissipated, dropping Liam to his knees, coughing and sputtering. A notification about a species change popped up, but he dismissed it.

“You didn't say anything about a full restructuring, old man,” Liam said, veins nearly bursting in frustration.

'Did I not?'

“What? Where'd you go, old guy?”

'Can't deny my age... anyway~ Yeah, I changed your body a little, so I'll be hanging out here, albeit asleep.'

“A little? A LITTLE?! You tore my entire body apart!”

'Necessary to make you one of us. Now, off to sleep.'

“Hey, you just leaving now?!”

No answer.

“Damn... this better have been worth it,” Liam muttered angrily.

A sudden crash startled him. Behind the throne, a large, circular chunk of stone fell forward, revealing a cave.

“Guess he at least gave me a way out...” Liam said while climbing the steps.

Rumble! Crack!

The structure began to quake. Pieces of stone and dust rained from above.

“Another earthquake?! You serious?” Liam yelled, shaking his fist in the air. “Hmm? My arm's actually better.”

Even while examining his fully functional arm, he sprinted into the tunnel. He didn't look back. However, an ear-shattering crash of stone made him realize the throne room caved in behind him.

Guess I'm not going to be able to get the other weapons later, he mused in regret.

Although he had no idea how much time he spent running, he eventually found himself at the exit, overlooking a forest from the side of a large hill. To the left, he saw a dust cloud and a sinkhole. Most likely, those signified the location of the tomb. To the right, he saw the city of Crey beyond the trees.

Based on the position of the sun, Liam concluded the time to be shortly after noon. Making it to the city in that amount of time would be difficult. In other words, he would need to set up camp for the night. However, he could not stay here. If anyone found out he was involved in the cave-in, it could lead to trouble. That being said, he sauntered into the woods.

“Oh, right, I need to give the Masked Meister a knuckle sandwich. Maybe I'll do you that favor someday, old man.”

Status

Name: Liam Foxworth

(Slayer of the Colossal)

Age: 33

Primary Class:

Thief (Lv.11)

Species: Ancientblood

Lv. 11

Available Classes:

Class Description:

HP

483 / 483

Warrior

Physical melee class

MP

000 / 000

Pyromaniac

Firestarter/Arson

Strength

58(+11.6)

Contractor

Can form contracts with spirits

Dexterity

31

Agility

31

Intelligence

8

Wisdom

17(+1.7)

Charisma

5

Luck

2(+0.1)

Available Stat Points:

12